Here are the actors vying to be the next James Bond, and who should get it

With reporting that Daniel
Craig
turned down a contract to return as James Bond for two more
movies, the talk of who will next play the famous spy with a
license to kill has ratcheted up.

From unnamed sources revealing actors having secret meetings with
Bond producers to fans forming petitions to get their favorites
the job, there's no shortage of "news" on who could be 007.

Note: Craig hasn't come out and said that he's not coming back as
Bond, nor has the studio that releases the movies, Sony,
commented on Craig's status.

Here are nine actors who have gone on record and said that they
want to play James Bond and why their talents would work for the
iconic role. And we took an opinion in the matter.

1. Tom Hiddleston

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Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty

He's got the look (though he might be a bit slim, especially
compared to Craig), the accent, and now he's
reportedly talking with producers about playing Bond.

Tom Hiddleston has not been shy about taking over the role if he
were asked, and it seems that might be already underway. Part of
a large franchise playing Loki in the Marvel movies, Hiddleston
has also shown he can play characters of this world. He's
received high marks starring as former British soldier Jonathan
Pine in the AMC miniseries "The Night Manager."

Why he would be a good Bond: Hiddleston has
proven he shines in the franchise setting - not just the
on-camera commitment, but also the publicity song-and-dance. No
doubt, he would be a much more outgoing Bond than Craig.

2. Idris Elba

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Anthony Harvey/Getty

If the Bond franchise really wants to get with the times,
producers will give serious consideration to Elba.

Whether it's playing the strategic drug dealer "Stringer" Bell in
"The Wire" or the genius detective in "Luther," Elba, who has
been coy about the Bond talk, has a knack for playing tough guys
with a subtle, cool manner that would fit perfectly in the Bond
role.

Why he would be a good Bond: Not counting how
historic it would be if a black actor got the role, there are
just some men who have the right look in a tux, and Elba has it.
We would totally spend the next five-plus years watching Elba
chase down baddies around the world.

3. Priyanka Chopra

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Getty Images: Imeh Akpanudosen / Stringer

Speaking of historic casting.

"Quantico" star Priyanka Chopra is not looking for a coveted
Bond-girl role if asked. She wants the brass ring. "F--- that - I
wanna be Bond,"
she told Complex. Casting a female in a franchise that's been
extremely chauvinistic for decades would be a huge move.

Why she would be a good Bond: Chopra has proven
on "Quantico" that she isn't shy to take the lead and play a
tough, strong-willed character, a trait an actress would need to
play the first-ever female Bond.

4. Damian Lewis

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Reuters/ Hannibal Hanschke

Talk of the "Billions" star (formerly on "Homeland") as the next
Bond has been going on for some time. And though Hiddleston and
Elba grab a lot of the headlines, don't sleep on Lewis. He has
that right level of stardom at the moment so that he could slip
into the role and make it his own without audiences thinking of
other characters when they see him in the tux.

But Lewis is keeping quiet on the chatter around him being considered for Bond: "I would tell you,
but I would have to kill you," he said.

Why he would be a good Bond: Lewis certainly has
the look, but he also has a style, like Elba, that is subtle.
Being too cool for the room is almost a requirement.

5. Gillian Anderson

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Getty

The "X-Files" star can thank her rabid fan base for placing her
in the running. A poster of Anderson as Bond (or as she puts it,
"Jane Bond") created by a fan and tweeted by Anderson has gone viral. There's now even
a petition for Anderson to get the role, with
nearly 16,000 signatures.

Why she would be a good Bond: With her "X-Files"
cred, it wouldn't be a stretch for her to play a spy. And she
sure pulled off cool and collected (and dangerous) in her other
recent TV roles on "Hannibal" and "The Fall."

6. Henry Cavill

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Ian Gavan / Getty Images

Can Superman also be James Bond?

It's kind of a stretch, but the current Man of Steel, Henry
Cavill, said he'd "love
to be" the next Bond. But this may come down to scheduling.
Cavill is in the midst of playing the superhero almost every
year. Can he fit Bond into his schedule?

Why he would be a good Bond: Cavill certainly
has the look. He might not capture the charisma, however, to play
Bond right. This choice would need some convincing.

7. Emilia Clarke

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Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Starring in the hit show "Game of Thrones" and about to star in
the summer's tear-jerker "Me Before You," Emilia Clarke is a hot
name in Hollywood at the moment. With that attention she hasn't
been shy about what she wants to do going forward.

Why she would be a good Bond: Playing
Daenerys Targaryen on "Thrones," there's no question
she has the edgy attitude for the role. The one hiccup would be
that she already tried an iconic action role, playing Sarah
Connor in "Terminator Genisys," and that turned out to be a dud.

8. Aidan Turner

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Anthony Harvey/Getty

The Dublin-born actor is the least known on this list, but he has
quietly become a serious contender.

Known best as the Kili character in "The Hobbit" trilogy and the
star of the BBC drama "Poldark," Turner has reportedly traveled to LA to meet with Bond producers.

Why he would be a good Bond: If the producers
are looking for an unknown whom they can mold into the next Bond,
then Turner would be the guy.

9. Elizabeth Banks

Banks is a talented comedic actress, it would be quite a sell to
prove to not just producers but audiences that she could play the
action-oriented role.

Why she would be a good Bond: With all that
said, Banks might be a convincing Bond if the story suited her
strengths. If Bond producers ever wanted to go back to the
playful Bond movies of the 1980s Roger Moore era, than Banks
would be perfect.

And the next Bond should be...

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BBC America

Out of this group the best choice would be Idris
Elba.

Partly it's the fact that portraying Bond as someone other than a
white man is an interesting proposition, but also Elba's talents
are perfect for Bond. He's suave and sophisticated with a deadly
edge to him. We think he would convince many of the naysayers
(and there would be a lot of them) that the newest Bond can hold
his own.